“Here, take this and use it. It should be better than the swords you found before.”
The former Chief Sword Saint rummaged through the attic and tossed over a sword.
Celes reached out to catch it, looking at it closely, instantly overwhelmed.
“Master, is this your personal sword?”
How could it be just ‘better’?
This was the sword her master once carried across countless battlefields, slaying evildoers, cutting down wicked foes, suppressing endless rebellions.
The dust of the attic hadn’t dulled its sharpness at all.
With a gentle flick, the surface dust scattered, and a cold gleam flashed, just like in those days.
“It’s nothing special. Just use it for now.”
He grabbed a stool from the corner of the attic and sat down.
“Let me tell you, if you want a good weapon, you need good materials. Don’t listen to those Bards who say ‘as long as you have a sword in your heart, it’s fine to have none in your hand’—that’s just nonsense from people who don’t know anything. There are materials in this world far better than the human body—hard, flexible, good is good.”
Celes thought for a moment and asked, “Can’t you just use magic to form a sword?”
Compared to lifeless materials, the human body had the advantage of magic.
“You can, but magic is your own. Wouldn’t it be better used for something else? If you have a real sword in hand, you can save your magic for making Sword Aura, Sword Qi, Sword Qi, and such. Isn’t that much stronger than some Magic Sword?”
“…You’re right.”
Celes felt that coming here was the right choice.
Not to mention anything about love, just this advice was invaluable.
“Alright, now, tell me about your companion. What kind of person is she?”
“She’s a good girl.”
The girl answered instinctively.
The former Chief Sword Saint paused.
“A girl?”
“Yeah, that’s why I said,”
Celes hesitated.
“It’s not necessarily love.”
“Is she a good woman or a bad woman?”
This question stumped the girl.
‘Good girl’ and ‘good woman’—two words that seemed to differ only in age, but in reality had a fundamental difference.
A good girl only needed a good personality.
But a good woman required both deeds and intentions, and couldn’t do bad things.
“She was forced.”
Celes said.
The former Chief Sword Saint nodded.
“Understood. A good girl, but a bad woman.”
“…….”
That didn’t seem wrong either.
“But then again, even though you’re so taken with her, you still admit she’s a bad woman. Just what bad things did she do?”
***
Inside an abandoned house in Herli Town, faced with the Little Witch’s proposal to exchange secrets, Ella thought carefully before slowly speaking.
“Actually, part of what you said last time was true.”
“Hmm?”
Vina rested her chin on one hand, looking at her curiously.
“About my time with the Demon Race, it was actually not bad. During those days, all of the Demon Race’s plans were made by me. The Demon King just followed my advice and carried them out.”
With Bright Cross Star City in their hands and the Bright Society established, the Demon King’s territory was expanding.
Saying it now helped set the stage, making it easier to explain later.
Besides, Ella felt no shame in the progress and change she’d brought to the Demon Race.
“Just as I thought. That muscle-bound guy was just your puppet.”
Vina’s peach blossom eyes sparkled.
“I knew it. How could a bunch of rough Demon Race brutes suddenly become good at scheming? So it was all your doing. Especially the Demon King—that guy looks stupid, and he even fell for our traps.”
Ella forced a laugh.
Yeah, yeah.
No point getting upset.
As the saying goes, ‘For every general’s success, countless bones are buried.’
Besides, there was no going back.
Demon King Aio was as good as dead, and it wasn’t a bad thing to have him become bones beneath her feet.
“My secret’s out.”
She put on a difficult, pained expression.
“Now it’s your turn.”
Vina climbed down from the bed, looking at the sky outside the window.
“Don’t rush. It’s not dark yet. Come and see for yourself.”
See? The scenery outside?
Ella came to the window, set the big rice cake on the sill like she was propping up a telescope, and had a clear view.
Vina: “Your rice cake’s blocking my view… Never mind, you look yourself.”
So, what was there to see?
Herli Town wasn’t a place with beautiful mountains or rivers. Naturally, the scenery was nothing special.
There was nothing to see.
The people who had been cleaning outside had finally waited for dusk and were finishing work.
Ella looked into the distance.
She saw many people walking the streets, holding various work tools, silently heading home.
“When the Count of Herli’s ancestors received this fief, these people’s ancestors were sent here as well, as subjects of the land. Rather than residents of Herli Town, they were more like the Count’s serfs, generation after generation. Here, the Count’s word is law.”
Vina was already back on the little bed, picking up some unfinished snacks, her small face showing a hint of helplessness.
“When I was learning magic, the elders always taught me not to waste the talent the heavens gave me, to use magic to do many, many good things in the future, and to live up to everyone’s expectations. I once believed them.”
Ella had moved the big rice cake from the windowsill and stood by the wall, listening.
She thought, you’re about to say ‘but’, aren’t you?
“But a few years ago, they brought me here to solve a small problem, and to get a breath of fresh air.”
Vina looked toward the window.
“Here, I saw these people, living in this town, with heavily guarded checkpoints on both sides, a desolate wilderness to the north, and the Royal City—out of reach—to the south. They could only live here, generation after generation. As their lord, the Count of Herli had a small hobby.”
“He didn’t want lives or do evil things. He just couldn’t stand seeing commoners idle, so he made them work all day. There was no cruel or depraved rule here, no bloody repression or massacre—just silent, eternal exploitation.”
Ella pressed her lips together, wanting to speak but holding back.
“A few years ago, some magic accidents happened in Herli Town. If we hadn’t come to handle it, the entire town might have been destroyed.”
Vina continued.
“But after we solved the problem and saved the town, I saw resentment in the residents’ eyes.
When the accidents began, they were happy, thinking the disaster might take the entire town—including the powerful lord—to ruin.
But when we solved everything and saved the town, their hope was crushed.”
This leads to taking my own step—on the 18th and 20th.
“From that moment on, I realized that magic can’t fulfill everyone’s wishes. Not everyone wants to be saved. Instead of acting on beliefs and letting principles become chains, it’s better to let go and do what you want—enjoy pure pleasure. Are you trying to say something? Your mouth’s been opening and closing.”
“Emmmm, no.”
“You obviously do. Just say it.”
Vina put down her snack and sat upright.
“It’s rare for me to have a heart-to-heart with someone. If you have something to say, just say it.”
It was clear this was rare for her. She never sat so upright.
Ella hesitated for a long time, then couldn’t hold it in.
“I think something like this would never happen in the Demon Race. What do you think?”
The room fell silent.
After a moment, Vina stood up from the bed, walked up to Ella, and raised her small hand.
“You’re done for. I’m going to kill you!”
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